Dynamics AX (previously known as Axapta) is Microsoft’s ERP solution with strengths in manufacturing, e-business, supply chain and services industries. Its comprehensive functionality, scalability, and flexibility are ideal for mid-sized and large multinational companies wanting to continue to grow their businesses.

Dynamics AX offers tier-one functionality at an affordable price.

Microsoft Dynamics AX helps customers manage a broad range of business areas, in order to minimize the need for multiple systems. Microsoft Dynamics AX gives you the ultimate gift of knowledge. Secure knowledge of your product, business, people, strategies, targets and customers will ensure that you are (and stay) one step ahead of the competition.

Unlike many ERP offerings, which are ongoing developments of earlier technologies, Dynamics AX is a modern, multi-layered application with a single database and toolkit. Based around the core financials database with ‘turn-on-turn-off’ functionality, Dynamics AX contains everything needed to integrate business processes right across your business chain. Manufacturing, warehouse management, distribution, CRM, projects, HR and eCommerce. The fact is, whatever the shape of your business, Dynamics AX can provide a straight-through business integration that is sure to enhance your success.

Dynamics AX is user-friendly and scalable - from 10 users to 3,000 or more. In addition, it is simple to set up for international operations with over 30 language options already built into its core architecture. This means that Dynamics AX can be configured around the character and preferences of your business. For the smaller, agile business its intuitive, responsive nature makes it a joy to work with; and for the larger firm, its proven ability to process a record 315,000 transactions from 3,600 simultaneous users in one hour means it is up to any task you set.

An important feature of Dynamics AX is its inherent flexibility – this ensures that as your business processes change your system changes with you, ensuring a consistency of fit simply not possible with earlier generation ERP solutions. That means we expect Dynamics AX to start returning your investment in the shortest time possible.

In 2004 Nucleus Research www.NucleusResearch.com undertook a study of sixteen Dynamics AX companies researching various aspects of their Dynamics AX deployments that would impact ROI. This included why and when they selected the technology, the deployment process and budget, expected and achieved benefits, expected and incurred costs, training, consulting, deployment challenges, and other issues associated with the deployment. Their analysts revealed the following:

"Seventy-five percent of customers had already achieved a positive ROI from their Dynamics AX deployment with an average payback period of 23 months. The average deployment time was 13.4 months, with a range of 5 months to 36 months for a phased deployment.

Companies that had not yet achieved a positive ROI had all been using the technology for less than two years, however, Nucleus projects that most of them will achieve payback within the next 6 to 18 months. The average size of a Dynamics AX deployment was 120 users, with a low of 35 and a high of 800. A number of customers were still in the process of adding new users or groups of users to the application.

ERP doesn’t have to synonymous with bad ROI. In fact, when it is properly selected, planned, and deployed with the help of qualified partners, an ERP solution can deliver significant returns for an organization. Seventy-five percent of Dynamics Ax customers had achieved a positive ROI from their Dynamics Ax deployment and the others were well on their way to achieving ROI largely because they had a clear roadmap and experienced guides to help them get there.

In the past, Nucleus has often found ERP deployments are undertaken because of a company mandate or strategic decision, but this wasn’t part of the story for the Dynamics Ax customers analyzed here. They started their projects with clear business goals in mind and, in most cases, avoided the politics, scope creep, and delays that often happen when there are none or too many chefs stirring the ERP pot.

Companies looking to maximize returns from Dynamics Ax and other ERP deployments today should:

• Get IT and business together to define needs and requirements up front and get user buy-in

• Keep customization limited to ensure you’ll be able to upgrade and adapt in the future without significant rework”

Excerpts From: RESEARCH NOTE E116 ROI ANALYSIS YOU CAN TRUST October 2004. Nucleus Research, Inc. E116 www.NucleusResearch.com